


as beautiful as flowering vines

by lyralabelle



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Alternate Universe - No Powers, Books, Coffee Shops, Cuddling & Snuggling, F/F, First Dates, First Kiss, Flirting, Flowers, Fluff, Kissing, Love at First Sight, Restaurants, Sleepovers, Sweet, antique shop
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-10-16
Updated: 2020-10-27
Packaged: 2021-03-08 23:33:57
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 7,973
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27035002
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lyralabelle/pseuds/lyralabelle
Summary: Hermione went looking for some vintage books, and found something much, much better.
Relationships: Hermione Granger/Bellatrix Black Lestrange
Comments: 9
Kudos: 101





	1. clockwork antiques

_Clockwork Antiques_

That’s what the weathered sign read. This was the best antique store in town - according to Draco. The white brick face of the store was draped with soft pink flowering vines. Inside, the dark floorboards creaked under Hermione’s heeled boots. The entrance was very cramped. Miscellaneous metal buckets were stacked up next to a small wooden rocking horse. A small white porcelain tea set sat precariously on a pile of other clutter. Hermione moved carefully around the buckets, as to not knock them over. She walked along the shelves and tables, looking for any books or decorations to add to her new bookcase. (If they had a copy of _Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland_ , she would be incredibly tickled). There didn’t seem to be any rhythm to the way the antiques were put away in this store. A pair of shoes drenched in black polish were next to a seventy-year old case of Coca-Cola, and an old silver mirror was next to a porcelain doll, which was missing a large clump of it’s blonde hair. A woman’s voice came from deep in the store. 

“Hello?” Hermione asked loudly. She walked towards where the voice came from. A woman emerged from behind a teetering stack of yellowing newspapers. She had dark, shoulder-length hair and was very beautiful, Hermione noticed.

“Hello!” The woman said cheerily. “I don’t believe we’ve met before. Are you new to town?” 

“Yes. I just moved a couple weeks ago. My friend recommended your store to me.” Hermione smiled. 

“Oh! I hope that you’re liking our little town.”

“I am! It’s very cosy. My name’s Hermione, by the way, and you’re …”

“Andy. I’m the owner of the store.” 

“Nice you meet you. Your store is lovely.” Hermione smiled, “I was wondering if you could tell me where the books are?” 

“Of course. I could show you-“ 

“Andy!” A red-haired woman walked quickly towards them.

“Hello, Molly!” Andy said, hugging the woman. “Sorry, Hermione. If you walk right to the back of the store, you’ll be able to find one of my sisters. They'll be able to tell you where the books are.” 

“Thank you!” Hermione walked deeper into the store. On her way, she found a small clay sculpture of a cat. It was reminiscent of her old cat, Crookshanks. Hermione heard the sound of boots clunking and squeaking the wooden floor. “Hello?” She turned the corner, and almost smacked straight into someone. “Oh! Sorry!” Hermione exclaimed, stepping back. 

“No problem.” The woman laughed and brushed her glossy dark curls over her shoulder. This must be one of Andy’s sisters, Hermione thought. She was strikingly beautiful. And her lips … _her lips_ , they were soft pink, like the beautiful flowering vines outside the store. 

“Are you Andy’s sister?” Hermione managed to ask. The woman’s tongue darted out to wet her lips. 

“One of them, yes. My name is Bellatrix.” She said, shoving her hands in the pockets of her jacket. “Are you looking for something?” 

“Um … I’m looking for the books.” 

“Okay, follow me.” Bellatrix walked towards the stairs and Hermione followed. “So, are you new around here? I remember almost everyone who comes into this store, and I’ve never seen you.” 

“Mmhm. I moved just a few weeks ago.” 

“Ah. That would explain why I don’t recognize you. Are you looking for anything specific?” 

_Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland_ , Hermione thought confidently. But she didn’t say it. Because, as they reached the second floor, Bellatrix had turned around. And now, Hermione was feeling very nervous. The woman’s eyes were dark, and Hermione felt herself withering under her gaze. Asking for a children’s book seemed so juvenile. She felt like she should be asking for something more adult. She wondered what Bellatrix liked to read. “No, nothing, I just wanted to browse.” 

“Alright, I‘ll leave you to it. Come get me if you need anything.” Bellatrix winked. Hermione blushed deeply. _Get it under control, Hermione, you only met her five minutes ago._ She scanned her eyes along the shelves. None of the books were organised in alphabetical order, but rather placed on the bookshelf randomly. Some were even upside down. She picked up some books that piqued her interest - including _Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland._ Then made her way back downstairs. She immediately saw a woman who she didn’t recognise, but looked like she worked there. She tried to listen for the sound of Bellatrix’s boots against the floor instead, but she couldn’t hear anything. The woman who Hermione didn’t recognise walked over.

“Everything alright? You look a bit lost.” The woman said with a smile. 

“Oh! Yes.” Hermione said, a bit disappointed, “I was just looking to buy these things.” She nodded down to the items in her hands. 

“Well, I can help you with that! The cash register is just over here.” The two began to walk. “I’m Narcissa, by the way, I assume you’ve met my sisters?” 

“Hermione. And yes, I’ve met them.” She smiled.

“That’s a gorgeous name.” Narcissa said, stepping behind the checkout desk and winking.

“Thank you!” Hermione placed her books and the cat figure on the counter. Was that a wink? 

“That’s a lot of books. Do you like to read?” Narcissa asked, adding up the prices. 

“I love to read. It’s one of my favourite things to do.” 

“I can tell. So, all together, it’ll be sixty pounds.” Narcissa said, sliding the books into a paper bag. Hermione handed over the money. “Have a wonderful evening!” 

“You too.” Hermione walked on her tiptoes on her way out, trying to catch one last glimpse of Bellatrix, but couldn’t see her.

* * *

Hermione was just putting the finishing touch on her bookshelf when there was a knock on the door. She hurried over to answer it. Harry and Draco were standing there. 

“Hey! Come on in, guys.” Hermione said. The three of them sat down on Hermione’s soft brown couch. 

“So … how was the antique store?” Draco asked.

“It was great! I found loads of nice books.” 

“Of course you bought books, Hermione.” Harry laughed.

“Did you find anything else?” Draco raised an eyebrow. Hermione read his expression immediately.

“Draco!” 

“New town, new opportunities for romance!” Hermione couldn’t help but think of the curly-haired woman, Bellatrix. She felt her face warm slightly. 

“I was just going antique shopping!” Hermione exclaimed.

“You could meet someone anywhere!” Draco said. 

“Guys, c’mon.” Harry sighed. Draco mumbled something that sounded similar to: _I’m just trying to look out for her._

Harry and Draco left only an hour later, as Hermione was tired and needed to get some sleep. Although, she didn’t get much. Her dreams were interrupted by thoughts of the curly-haired woman, many of which left Hermione staring up at her ceiling, beating herself up over even thinking like this about someone she just met, or thinking thoughts that were equally distracting, which lead back to beating herself up anyway. When she got up in the morning - her thoughts finally organized - she decided that she would go back to the store. Maybe seeing the woman again would help soothe her thoughts.


	2. a basket of roses

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hermione returns to Clockwork Antiques.

As Hermione walked up to the store, she saw Andy putting a basket of roses outside. 

“Good morning!” Hermione smiled. Andy turned around.

“Hello, Hermione! Back for more?” She asked. 

“Yes! I forgot to buy … some bookends.” Hermione said, making up a quick excuse.

“Ah! Of course. You can’t have a neat bookshelf if all your books are falling over. Personally, I like to have my books all mixed up. Would you like some help finding some?” 

“Oh, no that’s alright. I might just do some more browsing while I’m here.” Hermione said, stepping forward. “Lovely roses, by the way.” 

“Oh, thank you! Good luck finding your bookends!” Andy said, happily. Hermione walked into the store. She dodged the buckets and began to walk around. She found lots of interesting things as she searched for Bellatrix: a tea set covered in paintings of frogs, three hanging blown-glass birds, the doll from the day prior (surprisingly it was still there), a box full of small silver spoons, and a painting of a very angry-looking woman. She made it to the stairs, and walked up, silently hoping that Bellatrix was up there. She walked past the bookshelf and deeper into the upstairs. The problem was, she had never been further than the books. And, she soon ended up in a room full of teeny, tiny teacups and their matching little porcelain dolls. Hermione sat down next to a large doll on a white wooden bench. Maybe Bellatrix was just some dream Hermione had when she was incredibly sleep-deprived. Surely that was the case. Hermione picked up one of the dolls and looked at it. Would a doll make a good bookend? She sighed and stood up. The doll was only twenty pounds. She would try it out. Hermione walked through the room and out, still holding the doll. She made it to the largest room upstairs. It was full of posters of rock bands and old guitars and records. Hermione also noticed about fifty record players. And then, she heard a clunk. She walked forward, and Bellatrix rounded the corner. 

“Oh! Hello, miss me already?” Bellatrix joked. She was wearing dark purple lipstick, which Hermione sort of wished that she could have smeared all over her own lips. She thought of a way to respond. Then she remembered the bookends. 

“I was here to look for bookends.” Hermione said, fully aware of the fact that her face was the same colour as Andy’s roses. 

“Bookends … and the doll?” Bellatrix asked, looking at the little doll in Hermione’s hand. 

“Oh! Um …”

“That’s okay, I collect all sorts of weird things. Statues mostly.” Bellatrix smiled. “Now … about those bookends. They’ll be with the books, you must’ve walked past them.” Hermione stayed silent. “I can show you again, it’s alright.” If you’re going to say something, say it now. You’re not here for bookends. 

“I-“ Hermione exclaimed. Bellatrix stopped.

“Is everything okay?” She asked. Hermione gulped. 

“Yes! Um. I’m sorry … the bookends.” Hermione waved her hands around, causing the porcelain doll’s head to bounce all over. 

“Are you sure you’re alright?” Bellatrix asked, stepping forward. Oh, she was so close. Hermione could smell her perfume. She smelt like firewood and citrus. And it made her feel tingly all over. Then, something happened. She didn’t know what possessed her to do it. Maybe it was the fact that if this was a dream, Hermione would already be pressed up against the _Queen_ poster on the wall. But, she opened her mouth, and ten words fell out.

“Wouldyouliketogotothecaféwithme?” She said it quickly, so it sounded like one long, long word. 

“Sorry?” Bellatrix asked.

“I-I do you want to … I was wondering if …” Hermione was all disoriented.

“Yeah, I’ll go to the café with you.” Bellatrix smiled. “Today at lunch works?” Hermione nodded, still blushing. “You didn’t come here for bookends, did you?”

“No, I didn’t.” Hermione said, regaining her voice. 

“Of course you didn’t.” Bellatrix said, quietly. “Are you going to buy that doll?” Hermione thought about it for a while. She’d better. It’d be a reminder of Bellatrix, in a weird way. 

“Yeah.” 

“Alright, I can check it out for you.” 

“Thanks.” Hermione smiled, still feeling rather shy.

* * *

They made their way downstairs, and over to the checkout desk. Hermione was just in the middle of handing Bellatrix twenty pounds when Andy walked over. 

“Find your bookends alright?” Andy asked, looking at the bag.

“No … I didn’t find any that would fit.” Hermione lied. 

“Oh, that’s a shame. Maybe another time.” Andy said. 

“Yes, maybe.” Hermione turned to looked at Bellatrix, and Andy walked away. 

“I’ll see you at lunch.” Bellatrix whispered. Hermione’s heart fluttered. 

“I’ll see you then.” Hermione said, her voice shy. She walked out of the store feeling considerably happier.

* * *

What are date clothes anyway? Hermione had only been on a few dates, and with nobody this breathtaking. She opted for a simple white dress and a light coat. She had just spent the last hour contemplating clothes, so she only had half an hour for everything else. After a quick shower, she curled her hair and did natural makeup, wearing tinted lip gloss instead of lipstick. She slid her clothes on and looked at herself in the mirror. She couldn’t believe it. She was about to go on a coffee date with the most beautiful woman to grace the earth. And she was a little bit panicked. She didn’t know how to talk to someone older than her. Everyone she had gone on dates with were young and immature. She needed some help. She thought for a second. Who was the person who wanted her to go on a date in the first place? Draco, of course. 

So, five minutes later, he was there. 

“Wow! Hermione, you look amazing.” 

“Thanks. I have a lot of questions, and not a lot of time.” Hermione said, talking very fast. 

“Okay! Hit me.” Draco said, crossing his legs aggressively and leaning forward. 

“What do I say? What do I do? What if she tries to kiss me!” Hermione asked frantically. 

“Number one, say what’s on your mind. Unless it’s something weird. Or something about making out with her. Number two, just be nice, give her lots of compliments. And remember, chew with your mouth closed! Nobody wants to see your half-chewed chocolate croissant. And number three, kiss her back, if you’re ready, if not, just tell her no. She’ll be understanding.” 

Hermione sighed. “That’s a lot.” 

“You’ll be great, Hermione!” Draco said. 

“Okay.”

“It’s showtime.”


	3. rosedale park

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Bellatrix and Hermione go on their first date.

The café on the corner was surprisingly empty for a Saturday afternoon. So, when Hermione walked in, it only took a little bit of looking to find Bellatrix. When she saw her, her heart sped up and then practically stopped. Bellatrix must’ve ran home after Hermione had left the antique store, because she was wearing something completely different. And it was an outfit that made Hermione feel incredibly flustered. She wore a black low-cut tank top under a maroon leather jacket. And when she stood up, Hermione could see her dark navy jeans and heeled black boots. She walked towards Bellatrix’s table. Both women stood silent for a second. Bellatrix’s dark eyes traced the lines of Hermione’s body. 

“You look … beautiful.” Bellatrix breathed. Hermione wondered if she even knew that she had said it out loud. 

“Thanks.” Hermione said, blushing furiously, “So do you.” Bellatrix sighed.

“We should probably order. Don’t want to keep him waiting.”She said, quietly nodding over to the café employee, who was watching them. 

“Yes, of course.” The two walked up to the front. Bellatrix ordered a vegetable wrap and a cream roll, and Hermione ordered a grilled cheese and a slice of lemon blueberry loaf, and they both ordered a coffee. Once their food was ready, they brought it back to their table. 

“So you did miss me, after all.” Bellatrix laughed. Hermione looked up at her.

“Yes … I suppose I did, I-“ Hermione cut off. 

“That’s alright. I’m glad you came back.” 

“You are?” Hermione asked, amazed. Bellatrix winked and took a bite of her wrap. Hermione’s heart started to beat very fast. When Narcissa had winked at her, she was just plain confused, but Bellatrix winking? Well, it made her melt into a puddle right there. She picked up the other half of her sandwich and ate it shyly. Say what’s on your mind. That was Draco’s advice. But how could she? Because Bellatrix had just finished off her wrap. And had turned her attention to the cream roll. She bit into it gently and then placed it down. And then, after a sip of her coffee, she had picked up the roll again, and sucked some of the cream out of it. Hermione had to stop herself from audibly gasping. She grabbed her lemon blueberry slice and took a bite.

“So, how long have you worked at the antique shop?” Hermione asked, trying to get her mind back on track. 

“I’ve been helping Andy out with it for a couple years. It’s quite fun to find interesting things for my collections.” Bellatrix responded. 

“It’s a very nice store.” Hermione said, thankful that Bellatrix was a fast eater. The cream roll was gone. They sat in silence for a moment, Bellatrix watched Hermione eat. 

“There’s this wonderful park around the corner. Would you like to check it out with me after we’re done here?” Bellatrix asked. Hermione swallowed the last bite of her slice. 

“I would love to.” Hermione’s voice shook slightly.

* * *

_Rosedale Park_

“Rosedale? Why is it called that?” Hermione asked. 

“I don’t know. Probably after some old guy or something.” Bellatrix said. Hermione laughed. 

“I mean it is a very beautiful park.” This was true. There were large trees and hundreds of flowers, and deeper into the park, Hermione could see a boardwalk that ran alongside the water. 

“I want to show you my favourite thing to do here.” Bellatrix said.

“Alright! Lead the way!” Hermione said. Bellatrix hesitated for a moment and bit her lip. The other woman looked at her quizzically. 

“Would you be okay if I-“ Bellatrix reached over and took Hermione’s hand. Hermione thought her heart was in overdrive. It had flown like a caged bird that was finally freed. And she was sure that her cheeks had turned the same shade of red as the autumn leaves around them. 

“Yes. That’s okay. That’s more than okay.” Hermione breathed. 

“Okay.” Bellatrix smiled. “Let’s go.” The two walked hand-in-hand along the boardwalk, watching the sailboats sail through the water. They walked the entire length of the wooden planks, and then, almost an hour later, the planks stopped. But, Bellatrix kept leading Hermione along. They walked down towards the water on a rocky patch of shore that was blocked from sight by trees. 

“This is my favourite place.” 

“It’s very nice here.” Hermione said, not looking at all at the small patch of shore. Instead, she was looking up at Bellatrix. She bent down and picked up two stones. She handed one over to the older woman. 

“You knew exactly what I was thinking.” Bellatrix smiled. She held the rock between her thumb and pointer finger and flicked it into the water. It skipped three times. Hermione held her rock and skipped it. It skipped four times. She smiled up at Bellatrix. “Ooh, look at you. You’re an expert rock-skipper too.” Hermione laughed. They stood and looked out at the water. 

“The waves are relaxing, aren't they?” Hermione said, calmly. 

“They are.” Bellatrix and Hermione sat down. 

“Today was really amazing.” Hermione smiled. 

“It was.” Bellatrix said, looking at Hermione. “One of the best days of my life, honestly.” She leaned forward. Hermione’s heart was beating so loud, she could hear it in her head. This was not happening. Bellatrix was not so close to Hermione’s face that her breath was fanning out over the younger girl’s face. No. That wasn’t it. But her dark lips and dark eyes were so, so close. Every inch of Hermione was aflame. She felt the other woman’s hand on her leg, and her touch felt like fire against her skin. Bellatrix’s full, dark lips brushed against Hermione’s and she almost gasped. 

And then, they kissed. Nothing made sense to Hermione anymore, except for the feeling of Bellatrix’s lips on hers. Hermione moved her free hand to Bellatrix’s glossy curls. Her heart was beating against her ribcage and she wondered if Bellatrix could feel it. They leaned back to take a breath, Hermione stared into the beautiful dark eyes in front of her. They leaned back together. This time, Bellatrix’s tongue darted out against Hermione’s lips. The younger woman inhaled so sharply that she almost started choking. Bellatrix leaned back and started laughing.

“Are you okay?” She asked. 

“No, probably not.” Hermione joked, coughing into her arm. Once she was done coughing, the two sat on the shore, their hands intertwined. They stared at each other for what felt like an eternity, but it wasn’t long enough for Hermione. When Bellatrix’s phone went off and she picked it up, the younger woman didn’t look away. 

“It’s Andy. She’s asking if I’m going back to the shop today.” Bellatrix said. “I should probably go back. Narcissa’s off today, so it’s only her.”

“Yeah. Probably.” Hermione said. 

“I’ll walk you home. “ 

“I’ll show you where to go.”

* * *

When they made it to Hermione’s house, they stopped at the walkway. 

“Today was … wonderful.” Hermione said, breathlessly.

“It was, wasn’t it. Would you like to do it again sometime?” Bellatrix asked. 

“I would love to!” Hermione got on her tiptoes and pressed a kiss to the other woman’s cheek. “Bye!” 

“See you later.” Bellatrix smiled.


	4. light conversation

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hermione talks on the phone.

Hermione collapsed on her couch, completely dazed. She felt like she was floating above the clouds. Surely that wasn’t real, she must still be asleep. She’ll wake up soon, and not go to the antique store, because she has _not_ fallen in love with somebody that she just met. She closed her eyes and waited. She was waking up now, in her living room, and she was going to walk to the bathroom to brush her teeth and her hair. Yes, just a completely normal morning. She picked up her hairbrush and ran it through her hair a few times. Then, she looked up in the mirror to fix her hair into a style that she liked. But something wasn’t right. Because, there was a smear of dark lipstick on her bottom lip. The date wasn’t a dream, after all. Wow, she actually went on a date with the pretty woman from the antique shop. 

Her phone buzzed. She reached over and answered it. 

“Hermione!” Draco said.

“Hi.” Hermione answered, walking out of the bathroom and into her bedroom to sit on her bed. 

“How was your date?” 

“Good.” She thought for a moment, “Surreal.” 

“Tell me all about it!” 

“Okay, well, we went to the café and had a little chat.” Hermione said, laying back against her pillows. 

“You didn’t recount any of your dreams to her, did you? Please tell me you didn’t.” 

“No. I didn’t, thankfully. Although, she did do this thing that almost made me unravel like a ball of yarn.” 

“What did she do?” Draco asked, curious. 

“She ate a cream roll.” Hermione said, the butterflies returning to her stomach as she remembered it. 

“A cream roll?” There was a silence as Draco thought. “Oh. _Oh._ Yeah, that would do it. That would definitely do it. Umm … what did you do after that? Surely you weren’t at the café that whole time.” 

“No, we weren’t. After that we went to a park that she likes. Rosedale Park, have you heard of it?” 

“Yes! It’s wonderful, isn’t it? Did you two go for a walk there? It’s a good place to go for a walk.” 

“Mmhm, we did.” 

“Well that sounds like you had a lovely time!” Draco said, happily.

“I did.” Hermione hesitated, “She kissed me.” She said quietly.

“What? You’re being too quiet.” 

“She kissed me.” 

“Oh. How was it?” 

“How was what?” 

“The kiss, of course!” Draco laughed. 

“Oh! Um, it was … amazing.” Hermione giggled.

“That’s good! But I do have to ask …” Draco trailed off.

“What?”

“Tongue?”

“What? No! Actually, well I think she did try, but it surprised me and I started choking.” Hermione and Draco started to laugh.

“What’s this lovely lady’s name anyway? You haven’t told me yet.” Draco asked once they had stopped laughing.

“Her name’s Bellatrix. You know, one of Andy’s sisters.” 

“Bellatrix? From the antique shop? Well, clearly you weren’t ‘just going antique shopping’, were you? But, I’m amazed. I didn’t really expect that you’d date someone so different from you.” 

“Really? I mean, yeah we’re really different, but she’s so nice, and so beautiful.” 

“She’s like fifty years old! She’s Andy’s _older_ sister.”

“She is? Wow, I thought she was only forty at most. But, I don’t care if she’s fifty, honestly, I’m an adult.” Hermione said, a little bitterly. 

“No, I didn’t mean it like that. Anyway, when’s date two?” Draco asked, changing the subject.

“Uh … I don’t know, we didn’t really come up with a time. “ 

“Do you even have her phone number?”

“Of course I do! She gave it to me while we were walking.” 

“Maybe you should call her and invite her somewhere.” 

“We just finished our first date! Plus, I wouldn’t even know where to take her.” Hermione said. 

“Well, Harry and I are going to _The Ruby Hour_ for dinner on Saturday, it’s a wonderful restaurant, probably my favourite in town … we could make it a double date.” 

“Yeah … that seems like a pretty good idea.” 

“That’s great! I’ll tell Harry as soon as you ask her. Now, you go get some dinner, and some rest, since you had such an exciting day today.” Draco said.

“Okay. I’ll talk to you later.” 

“Bye!” Draco said, before hanging up. 

Hermione immediately searched for the restaurant on her phone. Their website came up. The front page of it was full of pictures of the restaurant. All the furniture inside was red and black, and large crystal chandeliers hung from the ceiling. Hermione thought it looked more like a dignified nightclub than a restaurant. Did Bellatrix seem like a nightclub kind of person? There was a tab labeled Menu and Hermione clicked on it. The menu was full of dishes with French names - probably in an attempt to make them seem more sophisticated, although the restaurant itself’s name was in English. She decided to give it a chance. If the restaurant turned out to be terrible, at least she would be hanging out with three amazing people.

* * *

“Hi, Bellatrix.” Hermione said, finally building up the courage to ask her out on a second date. 

“Hello! Haven’t gotten sick of me yet?” Bellatrix joked. 

“I would never!” Hermione heard Bellatrix laugh through the phone. Her heart began to soar.

“How’s your evening going?” 

“Good. I wanted to ask you something.” Hermione said, talking really fast.

“Yes?” 

“Would you like to go on another date with me on Saturday? It would be a double date with my friends Draco and Harry.” 

“Saturday …” There was the sound of rustling paper as Bellatrix checked her schedule. “Yeah! That’s great. Of course I’ll go. Where are we going?” 

“A restaurant called _The Ruby Hour._ Do you know it?” 

“I’ve been there once. It’s full of stuck-up little-“ 

“Is it not good?” Hermione asked, crestfallen. Bellatrix picked up on the disappointment in her voice.

“Oh. No, it’s not that. It’s the people there. I swear most of the regulars have a superiority complex.” 

“We don’t have to go. I can just decline Draco’s invitation and we can go somewhere else.”

“No, no. I’m sure it’ll be wonderful. I have you to distract me from all the … unsavoury people.” 

“I’ll distract you? You’re the one that’s distracting.” Hermione smiled. 

“Am I? Well, maybe I’ll pick something out that’s _extra_ distracting.”

“As will I. We’ll both be so distracted that we won’t even know there are other people in the room.” 

“That sounds great. I’ll see you on Saturday?”

“Yep! See you then. Bye.”

“Goodbye.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A bit shorter this time. The next chapter’s going to be a lot longer, but I didn’t want to start any big events in this one. :)


	5. the ruby hour

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Draco, Harry, Bellatrix, and Hermione go on a double date.

Six days went by quicker than a jet plane and Hermione found herself twenty-seven hours away from her double date. She still didn’t have anything to wear. There was a dress shop just down the street that seemed promising, it was called _Josephine’s_.

A bell rang somewhere deep in the store as Hermione entered. 

“Hello! My name is Dean! What are we looking for today?” A man walked out from behind a rack of dresses. 

“I’m looking for a dress that I can wear to a restaurant. Nothing too crazy.”

“So, something elegant or maybe more simple? Or both?”

“Yeah! Both sound good.” Hermione said. 

“Alrighty. Over here we have some pretty but simple dresses.” Dean walked towards a rack of dresses and Hermione followed. “See anything you like?” A very beautiful red dress hung at the front of the rack, but Hermione didn’t enjoy the idea of camouflaging with the restaurant.

“We’re going to a restaurant with a lot of red. What colour do you think would work best?” Hermione asked.

“Oh. Are you going to _The Ruby Hour_?” Dean asked. Hermione nodded. “Well, anything green or blue or white. Pretty much anything bright will make you shine like a star!” 

“Ooh. Do you have anything blue maybe?” 

“We do! Right over here.” They walked over to a rack full of blue dresses. Light blue and dark blue, and ones that looked more purple. “Well, go crazy. If you want to try anything on, just go to the back and ring that bell over there, and someone will give you a room.” 

“Okay, thank you!” Hermione said, cheerfully. Dean walked away to help someone else. She picked up a frilly dress, a shimmery dress, a very plain and simple dress, and a ballgown. She walked with the dresses to the back of the store and rang the little, silver bell. Dean came over and unlocked a room for her. “Thank you.” She smiled and went inside the room. She first tried on the frilly dress. It hung at weird angles and had a massive cut-out in the back. Maybe not. Hermione took it off and tried the next one. It was plain and would’ve been perfect, if not for the plunging neckline that ended just under her belly button. She knew it would do an _amazing_ job at distracting Bellatrix, but it would also earn her some unwanted stares from others. Maybe another time. She then tried on the ballgown. It was, honestly, very pretty, but it took up the entire length of the changing room - as expected for a gown. Finally was the shimmery one. The neck was perfectly cut, and it only had two small diamond-shaped cutouts at the sides. It was dark blue but caught the light perfectly. Yes! It was perfect. She hung the other dresses back on the rack and made her way to the front to pay. 

* * *

It was Saturday. Finally. Only half an hour until dinner, and Hermione was ready. She sat down on her couch to wait until it was time to leave. Her phone dinged. It was a text from Bellatrix. 

_Can’t wait to see what you’re wearing. ;)_

Oh. Wow. 

_Me too._

She sent it. Wait. 

_I’m excited to see what you’re wearing, I mean._

_You’ll love it._

Hermione smiled. That was definitely true. Bellatrix could show up in a clown costume and Hermione would still love it. The alarm went off on her phone. Five-forty. She found her purse, shoes, and coat and then walked out of the door.

* * *

_The Ruby Hour_ was a relatively large white cement cube with a short vine-covered cement wall around it. A red neon sign with the restaurant’s name was on the front wall of the building. Draco and Harry were standing outside. 

“Wow, Hermione. You look great.” Harry said. 

“Thank you! So do you. Both of you.” Hermione said, smiling at them . 

“Does Bellatrix like to be fashionably late?” Draco asked.

“No, she was early last time. We still have ten minutes, though”

“That’s true.” The voice made Hermione whip around. Bellatrix was standing there. She was wearing a black suit coat with a small white shirt underneath. Her legs were covered by black trousers and tall leather boots. 

“You look … amazing.” Hermione breathed. 

“ _I look amazing_? You’re the one who looks amazing.” Bellatrix grinned. “It was worth the wait.” She placed her hands carefully on Hermione’s waist. Hermione leaned into the touch and Bellatrix’s uncertainty disappeared. 

“Look at those heart eyes.” Draco whispered. 

“We should head inside!” Harry said, loudly. Bellatrix and Hermione turned. 

“Yes, probably.” Bellatrix said. 

The saturation of the red furniture was even brighter in person. The large sparkly chandeliers were even larger. A woman in a black dress led them to their seats. The table was large and intricate, and made out of mahogany. Everybody at the restaurant was wearing fancy clothes and white gloves, and all looked very no-nonsense. She could see why Bellatrix didn’t like the people here. She wasn’t a very rule-abiding woman. They sat down, Bellatrix next to Hermione, and Draco next to Harry. 

“Here are your menus. Could I get you started with some drinks.?” The waitress asked. 

“Ladies first.” Draco smiled. Bellatrix looked over at Hermione. 

“Could I have some water please?” Hermione asked. 

“Of course.” The waitress wrote in her notebook. Bellatrix and Draco ordered red wine, and Harry ordered orange juice. “I’ll get you those.” She smiled. Hermione looked down at the menu and groaned. 

“I can’t read any of this.” She said. Bellatrix leaned over. 

“Here, I can help you.” 

“You can speak French?” Hermione said, surprised. 

“A little bit.” 

“Me too.” Draco said. When the waitress returned, she gave them their drinks and then took their orders. “Isn’t this restaurant just amazing?” Draco sighed. Bellatrix smiled but didn’t say anything.

“The decorating is very impressive.” Hermione said. 

“It’s very you.” Harry smiled at Draco, who leaned in and whispered something. Hermione felt Bellatrix’s breath on her ear. 

“I have a question.” Bellatrix breathed. 

“Yeah?” Hermione whispered. 

“Do you want to come over to mine after this?” 

“Of course.”

The waitress brought their food a few minutes later. They ate in almost complete silence. Although the restaurant was obnoxiously sophisticated, the food was excellent. 

“Mmmm. That was delicious.” Harry leaned back in his chair. 

“It was. Thank you for inviting us.” Bellatrix said. 

“Oh, no problem.” Draco said. They paid and left the restaurant. 

* * *

They stood in the elevator of Bellatrix’s apartment. 

“That was a nice dinner, wasn’t it?” Hermione asked, breaking the silence. 

“It was.” Bellatrix smiled and stared at Hermione. The elevator doors opened and a large group of people stepped in. Bellatrix and Hermione moved into the corner to make room in the small elevator. The group of people talked loudly and carried a speaker that blared music. Hermione pressed against Bellatrix as one of the people stumbled backwards and almost fell on to her. Bellatrix wrapped her arms around her waist protectively. She took a sharp breath. The other woman’s lips grazed her neck. She tensed up. “Sorry.” Bellatrix breathed. 

“Oh! Please don’t be sorry.” Hermione whispered. 

“It was too much, I know. I shouldn’t have-“ Bellatrix started rambling. Hermione relaxed and leaned her head back against the other woman’s shoulder. She looked up and smiled.

“It wasn’t too much.” 

“But you got all … tense.” 

“No, I- I just get really shy around you, have you noticed?” 

“I haven’t. I’m not really good at the whole ‘relationships and feelings’ thing.” 

“Oh. Have you not dated someone before?” 

“It’s a little complicated. I’ve never dated a girl before, though.”

“Are we?” 

“Are we … what?”

“Dating?” 

“Yeah, I think so.”

“That’s good. I like dating you.” Hermione smiled.

“Me too.” The elevator doors opened once more to Bellatrix’s floor. The two women stepped out, leaving the loud group of people inside. The doors shut and the noise disappeared. Bellatrix was already unlocking her door. 

“It’s not much.” Bellatrix shrugged as they walked inside. 

“It’s brilliant!” Hermione smiled. The walls of the apartment were painted black, and covered in rock and roll posters. There was a large bookshelf covered in little statue heads and fake skulls, and a few tiny plants. 

“Would you like to watch a movie?” Bellatrix asked. 

“Yes! Movie night!” Hermione laughed. 

“We can watch it in here, but I also have a T.V in my bedroom.” Bellatrix paused for a second, “I mean we can just sit on my bed, I didn’t mean to sleep in my bed, but if you want to I mean that’s good. I don’t-“ Hermione laughed. 

“We can watch T.V in your room.” They walked into Bellatrix’s bedroom. The walls were black like the main room, and her bedsheets were dark green. Bellatrix turned the T.V on and laid down. Hermione sat cross-legged beside her.

“You can lay down if you want.” Bellatrix smiled. The younger woman laid down stiffly. It was weird for her, laying in Bellatrix’s bed. Many of her late night dreams had taken place in a fantasy version of Bellatrix’s bedroom, so to be there was strange.

* * *

Hermione barely watched the movie. Instead, she was focused on the woman beside her. They were very close to each other, and Hermione wanted nothing more than to move over and kiss her lips. As the credits rolled, Bellatrix turned over towards Hermione. 

“That was a good movie, wasn’t it?” Bellatrix asked. 

“Yeah, it was.” 

“You weren’t watching it at all.” Bellatrix chuckled. “I could see you looking at me.” Hermione blushed. “That’s okay. I was looking at you, from the corner of my eye.” Bellatrix moved closer and pressed a kiss to her forehead. “Do you want to sleep over? It’s a bit late already.”

“I would love to, but I don’t have any pajamas.” 

“You can borrow some from me.” Bellatrix leaned over and grabbed a big t-shirt from her dresser. Then, she grabbed a pair of blue pajama bottoms. “Uh. I don’t think the bottoms will fit you.” 

“That’s okay. The t-shirt will probably cover me up.” Bellatrix handed the shirt over and closed her eyes. “Wait. Can you help me unzip? It was a struggle getting dressed earlier.” 

“No problem.” Bellatrix reached over and unzipped the back of Hermione’s dress. Her hand pressed hesitantly against the newly exposed skin of Hermione’s back. Hermione took a deep breath and slid the sleeve of her own dress off her shoulder, to tell Bellatrix that everything was okay. Bellatrix leaned forward and pressed a kiss to her shoulder. 

“Oh.” Hermione breathed as the other woman’s teeth grazed her skin. Bellatrix pushed the sparkly dress down to Hermione’s hips. 

“You’re so very beautiful.” Bellatrix smiled. 

Hermione shivered from a mixture of the cold air and Bellatrix’s words.

“If we want to continue this - without you wearing the t-shirt, we should probably go under the blankets. The heating’s kinda … not working right now.” Bellatrix said. Hermione nodded, and pulled her dress all the way off. She saw the other woman’s eyes darken. 

Sometime before the two slid under the covers, they both lost many things. Bellatrix lost her coat, shirt, and trousers. Hermione lost her mind. 

Once under the blankets, they let their hands explore. Hermione placed her hands on Bellatrix’s chest. The other woman moved her head forward, and peppered kisses all over Hermione’s neck, chest, and shoulders. Hermione had never felt such warmth before.

* * *

Hermione had been to many sleepovers before. But none quite like this. Nothing even came close to the feeling she felt, waking up and seeing Bellatrix beside her, hair messed up, and looking perfectly angelic as she slept. 

“How long have you been watching me?” Bellatrix smiled, opening an eye. 

“You’re just so pretty.” Hermione said. 

“Fair. So are you. You look like a renaissance painting.” 

“I do?” 

“Yes. Like _The Birth Of Venus._ Do you know that one?”

“Mmhm.” Hermione laid back down and cuddled into Bellatrix. “Hopefully you don’t have any plans today, because I’m so comfortable here.” 

“I’m supposed to be helping Andy tomorrow, but this is more important.” A thought came to Hermione’s head, she hoped this was the right time.

“I love you.” Hermione whispered.

A beat.

“I love you too.”


	6. interrogation room

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Draco lives out his soap opera dreams.

The sun was too bright in Hermione’s still-tired eyes. The light reflected on Hermione’s shimmery dress, which looked a bit more ruffled up than it did the night before. Bellatrix walked grumpily beside her, her hair curlier and messier than it was normally. 

“I can’t believe that Andy is making me come in.” Bellatrix groaned, “I told her I was busy!”

“Well technically you weren’t _doing anything_.” Hermione said.

“Well _technically_ I was.” Bellatrix whined, making her voice higher to mimic Hermione’s. 

“When you’re all done working, _maybe_ we can go back to what we were doing.” Hermione smiled. Bellatrix looked like a kid on Christmas morning. 

“ _Can we_?” Bellatrix asked, excited. Hermione winked. 

“How about you go help Andy out and we’ll see.” They arrived at the antique shop.

“Okay, fine. Kiss goodbye?” Bellatrix pouted and pointed to her cheek. 

“Of course!” Hermione pressed a kiss just under the woman’s cheekbone. “I’ll see you at five.”

“See you then.” Bellatrix smiled.

* * *

Hermione called Draco on her way to her house, but he didn’t pick up, which was unusual for him. So, she called a second time, and he didn’t pick that up either. When she got to her house, she called one last time.

“Hey!” 

“Oh! Draco, hi, I was -“

“You know what to do.” It was Draco’s answering machine. Hermione hung up without leaving a message. She sent both Draco and Harry a message and left to go put on some normal clothes. When she came back, she had no response. That was it. Something must be wrong. She grabbed the extra key that Draco gave her and walked quickly out the door.

Draco and Harry’s house was only a ten minute walk away, but with the speed that Hermione was walking, it was more like eight. She pushed open the large gates at the stone house and walked up to the door. She knocked the door knocker three times, just in case, but she didn’t wait for someone to answer. She turned the key and walked into the front hall.

“Hello?” Hermione asked. Nobody responded. She climbed up the stairs. The entire top floor was empty. As was the bottom. She walked into the kitchen and saw Draco’s phone and Harry’s phone sitting on the counter, the notifications from her messages and phone calls on the screens. She walked quickly out of the house, locking the door behind her. She called Bellatrix, who didn’t pick up. Okay. Well, at least Hermione knew where to find her. 

When Hermione arrived at _Clockwork Antiques_ , Narcissa was standing in the doorway, a smirk on her face. 

“Narcissa! Where’s Bellatrix? Hermione asked.

“Don’t worry, she’s here. Your darling little friend is interrogating her.” Narcissa leaned forward, “But I don’t think his partner’s too keen on it, he looks tired.” She added in a whisper. Hermione rolled her eyes and sighed. 

“Could you show me what room they’re in? I don’t want to get lost.” 

“Of course. It is a bit maze-like in there, isn’t it? But that’s the way Andy likes it.” She shrugged. “Anyway … they’re in the _creepy_ porcelain doll room, do you know it?” Hermione thought back to the week before, and the porcelain doll that was sitting on her bookshelf.

“Yes.” 

“I’ll bring you there, just in case.” They walked into the store. Everything was completely moved around. The pile of metal buckets was still there, but they had been moved further into the back of the store. 

“Does Andy move all the stuff around?” Hermione asked.

“Yeah, she does, it’s like a labyrinth in here. She moves the things overnight, so it’s always a surprise when we get here in the morning. It keeps us guessing. There’s always an order upstairs, though, that’s Bellatrix’s space. “ 

Hermione laughed. “Do you have a ‘space’?” 

“Well, I get to pick what we have around the register, the things that will grab people’s attention as they’re about to leave. Distracting people is my specialty.”

“Is it?”

“Mhmm. But the way I hear … my dashing older sister is stepping into my territory.” Narcissa smirked back at Hermione. 

“Oh … um.” Hermione blushed. 

“Don’t be embarrassed, I’m just happy that Bella finally found someone. It’s been a long time since I’ve heard her talk about somebody the way she talks about you.” Narcissa said. Hermione smiled. They stopped at the bottom of the stairs. “Just head up there and then walk all the way back. You’ll find them. I’m going to stay down here in case someone comes in.” 

“Thank you.” Hermione smiled and walked up the stairs. She could already hear Draco’s voice as she came up to the top floor. She walked through the book room until she could just see the doll room. Bellatrix was sitting on the small bench, looking confused. Draco was holding a clipboard and writing something down. Hermione walked quietly into the doorway. Harry and Andy looked up at her and shrugged. 

“Draco? What are you doing?” Hermione asked. 

“Oh! Hello, Hermione.” Draco looked up from his clipboard. “We’re just having a little chat.” He said, sweetly. 

“Interrogation, more like.” Harry snorted. 

“Chat, interrogation, same thing.” Draco said. 

“Interrogation? Why are you interrogating her?” 

“I’m trying to make sure she’s good enough for you.” At these words, all hell broke loose. Andy started screaming a string of words that somehow made Draco’s pale face even paler, Harry was trying to yell at Draco, but was too quiet, and Hermione was desperately trying to quiet the both of them. 

“Okay!” Hermione finally was able to raise her voice over Andy’s. The woman in the corner fell silent. “Good enough? Really Draco?” She frowned. 

“Not … that’s not what I mean.” Draco walked over to the doorway. “I want to make sure that she’s not going to hurt you.” He whispered.

“She’s not going to!” Hermione reached out and grabbed the clipboard from Draco’s hands. She read some of the questions out loud. 

“What are your intentions with Hermione … how many relationships have you been in … what is this, a checklist?” Hermione asked. Draco nodded. “I get that you’re just trying to look out for me, but you _can’t_ do this again. Promise me?”

“I promise.” Draco said.

“C’mon Draco, we should go.” Harry said, grabbing Draco’s hand. The two left the room, leaving Hermione, Bellatrix, and Andy together. 

“Andy … could I have a second with Bellatrix?” Hermione asked. Andy nodded.

“Of course.” She walked out of the room and down the stairs. 

“I’m so sorry about this.” Hermione said, placing the clipboard down. 

“It’s okay. I get what he was trying to do.” Bellatrix shrugged, standing up. 

“He shouldn’t have done this though. He doesn’t need to know every detail of your life. And I don’t either.” 

“He’s very passionate, I’ll give him that.” Bellatrix chuckled. 

“He is.” Hermione smiled.

“And he cares about you a lot. I can see it.” 

“I care about him too, but this was a bit overkill. He’s probably just excited.” Hermione sighed, “He’s been obsessed with finding me someone ever since I broke up with my last partner.” 

“I get it. My sisters - well Andy, at least - have been _begging_ me to go on dates with people since …” Bellatrix trailed off and paused for a second, “They do it because they care.” 

“Yeah, I know. They just want the best for us, but sometimes it reads as … not caring.” Hermione said. Bellatrix walked forward and wrapped her arms around Hermione’s waist.

“Mmhm. Have my darling sisters done anything crazy yet? They’re a bit overprotective of me when it comes to dating.”

“No. But, honestly, on my way up here, Narcissa spoke to me about you, she was just happy that you’re finally dating someone.” Hermione smiled. 

“She’s the calmest of us three.” Bellatrix laughed. 

“Who’s the craziest?” Hermione asked, raising an eyebrow.

“When we were younger, definitely me. But now that we’re older, definitely Andy.” Bellatrix said. Hermione pressed herself against Bellatrix, and rested her head on her girlfriend’s shoulder.

“Don’t tell your sisters this, but you’re my favourite out of you three.” Hermione whispered. Bellatrix fake-gasped. 

“Really? The scandal.” She laughed softly. 

“Yes. I know. I’m the most scandalous person alive.”


End file.
